Date Set for Egypt's New Constitution, Religious Minorities Fear Sharia Will Be Source of Legislation

Date Set for Egypt's New Constitution, Religious Minorities Fear Sharia Will Be Source of Legislation

Egypt's prime minister announced Saturday that the country's new constitution would be drafted by the end of September, the Washington Postreports. According to International Christian Concern, there is grave concern that Islamic sharia law will become the sole source of Egypt's legislation, meaning that religious freedom for Christians and other minorities will significantly decline. Already, the Constituent Assembly -- a 100-member body appointed by the Muslim Brotherhood-led parliament to draft the document -- has proposed that the "principles" of Islam become the highest law in the country. Christians and religious minorities continue to wonder what rights they will have in Egypt's future.